Knightdale Teen Critically Injured After Thrown from Pickup Truck Bed

According to Knightdale’s police, a 17-year-old teen is in critical condition at WakeMed after he was thrown from the bed of a pickup truck in northeast part of the town. Upon further investigation of the accident has lead to charging the pickup’s driver with driving while impaired.

Authorities have not released the name of the injured teen or the name of the teen driver. The tragic accident occurred last Saturday around 10:30 p.m. on Onyx Lane in the Emerald Point subdivision about a mile from Knightdale High School. When responders arrived at the scene they discovered an injured teen lying in the middle of Onyx Lane.

The report stated that a 2000 Ford Ranger was the vehicle involved in the accident, although the exact cause has not yet been determined. Knightdale’s fire department and emergency medical services arrived at the scene. The teenager that was thrown from the truck was rushed to WakeMed in Raleigh.

According to the police it was determined that four teenagers were involved in the accident. The pickup driver had a passenger, in the front seat with him, while two more teens were riding in the bed of the truck. It should be noted that the driver has been charged with careless and reckless operation of a motor vehicle. He was taken to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, where he was processed and released into the custody of his parents.

Wreckless driving is a mental state in which the driver displays a wanton disregard for the rules of the road; the driver often misjudges common driving procedures, often causing accidents and other damages. Obviously, this teen driver showed a flagrant disregard to the safety of the people that were counting on him to drive within the boundaries of the law. Now, there is a critically injured teen that may be burdened with a physical handicap the rest of his life due to this incident.

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